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Alexandre Desplat - Godzilla OST: an album guide
'The King's Speech' composer Alexandre Desplat takes a career right-turn with Godzilla, a soundtrack he describes as being 'non-stop fortissimo'. But just how loud is it? Find out, and take a look at some stunning pictures from the film, with our album guide.
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1. Godzilla!
Roar etc! A lumbering beast of a theme emerges early on here, suggesting that Desplat's usual gentleness and quirkiness might be replaced by something far more bombastic. Which, for a movie about a giant marine reptile intent on turning major metropoles into rubble, seems fairly appropriate.
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2. Inside the Mines
A smattering of atmosphere, here: Desplat's mastery of soundscape, rather than just melody, comes to the fore. Here's Alexandre Desplat himself, lording it up at the London premiere of the film.
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3. The Power Plant
The spectre of nuclear weapons hangs over the Godzilla franchise in general and, based on titles alone, it would seem that the theme has carried over to this rebooted version. Desplat is aware of it too, clearly, filling this track with real foreboding.
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4. The Q Zone
There's a hint of Williams' Jaws soundtrack to the gentle thuds in the lower strings - and what better influence on Desplat than the greatest monster movie composer of them all?
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5. Back to Janjira
There's a rare moment of human delicacy here at the beginning of the track, but it's soon supplanted by some more of that thudding bass and what sounds like a Japanese-derived flute - perfectly apt for the opening sections of the film. Here's Elizabeth Olsen, leading lady and general Godzilla foil, hanging out at the movie's London premiere.
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6. Muto Hatch
In the film, 'Muto' is an abbreviation for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism. No prizes for guessing what happens in this scene, or how it sounds on the soundtrack. Here's Bryan Cranston, exuding cool from every pore at the London premiere.
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7. In The Jungle
Disappointingly, this is not Desplat's take on the falsetto sing-along classic. Instead, it's a breathless and energetic showcase for some fluttering brass and thundering percussion. Mighty stuff.
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8. The Wave
The film plays partly on our collective fear of natural disasters and, in a stunning scene, a great tidal wave rushes towards the land. Bet you can't guess who caused that.
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9. Airport Attack
Our cast of heroes, led by the inimitable Bryan Cranston (and flanked here by Aaron Taylor Johnson), are all given a massive headache by Godzilla's antics, and as the film accelerates and increases the tension, Desplat's score does the same.
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10. Missing Spore
A Copland-esque trumpet doodle kicks things off on this comparatively contemplative track. Speaking of contemplative, director Gareth Edwards (pictured here in front of a comically oversized poster) was previously responsible for the low-budget, moody indie movie Monsters, a much more downbeat affair than the bombast of Godzilla.
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11. Vegas Aftermath
There's nothing quite like the sight of Las Vegas having been decimated by a marine reptile. And to reflect that, Desplat has crafted this uneasy, quivering little number, that gradually becomes more and more percussive.
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12. Ford Rescued
Bryan Cranston (pictured here with the rest of the cast and director Gareth Evans ) plays the titular Ford in this section and, judging from the title, it seems like that pesky monster may have caused a little bit of trouble. Nice to here some more Japanese-inflected flute, too.
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13. Following Godzilla
More thunderous, thudding percussion and helicoptering string lines here, as the tables start to inevitably turn on Godzilla.
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14. Golden Gate Chaos
If there's one thing disaster movies love doing, it's destroying major American landmarks. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is the unlucky monument here, and Desplat scores it exactly as it should be - powerfully and reverentially.
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15. Let Them Fight
Let who fight? Well, we'll have to wait and see. But judging by the sound of the razor-wire strings, it's not too pretty an encounter. Again, it's absolutely thrilling to hear Desplat letting loose like this - any previous pretension of refinement in his career is gleefully booted out the door.
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16. Entering The Nest
Well, that sounds like a bad idea. Surely 'Avoiding The Nest' would be a better idea. But someone's got to get the bottom of why Godzilla has decided to freak out on such a destructive level, and this splendidly crunchy excerpt is the perfect soundtrack.
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17. Two Against One
While hardly a fair fight, this one does at least seem to be amazingly tense, judging by the soundtrack. Chugging strings and an angular brass melody all gradually swirl together throughout this until it becomes pretty overwhelming. Here's Elizabeth Olsen looking remarkably relaxed for someone about to do battle with a terrifying CGI monster.
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18. Last Shot
With battle coming to an end, it looks like everyone's running out of options. Desplat saves his most tense music for this section.
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19. Godzilla's Victory
As if anyone else was going to win. But with this mournful, sedate, haunting excerpt, you get the impression that Desplat (pulling an impeccable hand-in-pocket pose) is reflecting something a little deeper and more complex than a standard victory.
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20. Back to the Ocean
Because marine reptiles have to go back to the sea at some point. Desplat's score ends on a ponderous, inconclusive note - the action is well and truly over, but there's a hint that more might be to come at a later date, and that the threat is not completely neutralised… Sequel, anyone?
